Eat CleanAll recipes copyright TCM unless otherwise stated.

I'll admit it...I'm obsessed with ice cream. And in the summer heat, this obsession is only more pronounced.

I eat a small ice cream nearly every other night, which can become costly. In addition to that, I don't love the fact that I don't always know what ingredients I'm getting when I buy ice cream at a local shop. I especially wonder what goes into those soft-serve ice cream machines...and soft-serve happens to be my favorite form of ice cream.

Ice cream might not fit into everyone's idea of a healthy lifestyle, but it fits into mine and ﻿﻿The Clean Method﻿﻿just fine, since I don't believe in depriving oneself of enjoyable foods. Rather, I believe in indulging mindfully. I eat extremely healthy during the day and work hard to remain active and strong, so that I can continue to enjoy goodies like ice cream. If it's considered a vice, at least I know it could be much worse!

To save money - and speculation around ingredients - from buying ice cream out, I decided to take a stab at creating my own. Though I typically buy regular ice cream from local shops here on Long Island, I decided to take a stab at creating a healthier, dairy-free version of an ice cream flavor that I absolutely love: coffee. If I was going to get my hands dirty, I figured I might as well try to make something a tad bit 'clean.' And if it ended up being anything tasty (which it did) I wanted to share it with all of you!

Since I don't have an ice cream maker, this recipe certainly took some experimentation in the kitchen, but after a few spills and mishaps, I finally got this dairy-free ice cream to have the creamy, soft-serve texture that I wanted. I have to say that it was surprisingly delicious! Here's how to make it. Oh and if you're a vegan - you can eliminate the egg, though I highly suggest keeping it in the recipe for texture if you're not. And if you want to purchase an ice cream maker or accessories, like these cute ice cream trays, I've also included those below!

HOW TO MAKE:PART ONE1. Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. 2. Cook for ~8 minutes, whisking consistently. The sugar and espresso will dissolve, and the heat will reduce alcohol from the rum (though not eradicate its sumptuous flavor.)

PART TWOIF YOU DO NOT HAVE AN ICE CREAM MAKER:3. Transfer to a medium sized bowl (one that adequately fits over the ice bucket, see below.) 4. Fill half of a large ice bucket with ice cubes. 5. Whisk the mixture in the bow over the ice for ~30 minutes, with breaks in between.6. Place in freezer for ~10 minutes and then immediately enjoy this (relatively) healthy dessert!

IF YOU DO HAVE AN ICE CREAM MAKER:3. Transfer to a medium or large sized bowl and chill in the fridge until the base is cool (~ 15 minutes.)4. Remove from the fridge and transfer mixture into the ice cream maker. Churn for ~20-30 minutes (depending upon the ice cream maker.) 5. Eat immediately or transfer to a freezer-safe container and keep in the freezer overnight.

Indulge in Ice Cream Accessories

Without an ice cream maker, I had to get creative with whisking the soon-to-be ice cream over the ice but I must say that it ultimately worked out very nicely and mimicked soft-serve's texture. If you would like to purchase an ice cream maker, however, I included the most discounted and/or cheapest ice cream makers I could find below. It's important to note that they are quite pricey! The flavor was the best part (I think, in part, due to the rum!) Though it's more time-consuming, I would actually recommend making this dairy-free coconut-coffee ice cream recipe without the ice cream maker - though, of course, the choice is yours!